11 FEB 23 Saturday: A Closer Walk Devotional
“Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths.” 2 Tim. 4 2-4
I find Paul’s letters to Timothy very encouraging and relatable to our current day. Sometimes we think that maybe these guys didn’t have such issues that we face and how nice it would be to live back then. How wrong are we? They faced the same types of problems within the church and outside of it. Both brought mental and physical suffering. How did they handle such problems?
First, they were real about it and didn’t hide the fact that there is always opposition to the truth and the gospel. The pain from inside the church is much worse than from outside. Every denomination in the world has faced challenges of false teachers, thieves, sexual predators, and homosexual marriage to name a few. These evil things will come against the church and get worse until Christ returns.
Second, sin and hostility doesn’t change the mission and purpose of the individual christian or the church as a whole. We fight the good fight and share the gospel with anyone and everyone. We can’t wait for the right time because there isn’t one. Just share it. We correct those that are in error and let God sift them from our midst if need be. Always remain faithful to God even if you are alone.
Do you understand the times and the reality?
Reading Plan: Psalm 87, 90; Isa. 61:10-62:5; 2 Tim. 4:1-8; Mark 10:46-52
Daily Office Year 1
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